BBC receives hundreds of complaints and is accused of insulting Muslims with new 'racist' sitcom Citizen Khan

It was supposed to be a ground-breaking new BBC comedy which
finally placed a modern Asian family centre-stage.

But Citizen Khan has proved no laughing matter after the
sitcom prompted painful comparisons to the “racist” 70s series Mind Your
Language.

Viewers complained that the new BBC1 comedy stereotyped
Muslims and insulted Islam.

The corporation has received more than 200 complaints since
the first episode aired on BBC1 on Monday night.

Ofcom, the broadcasting watchdog, will investigate after
viewers accused the programme of mocking religious beliefs.

Some claimed that the series, about a self-appointed
community leader in Birmingham and his family, was a "tasteless depiction
of Islam".

Scenes in which Mr Khan’s heavily made-up daughter rushes to
put on a hijab and pretends to be reading the Koran when her father entered,
attracted particular criticism.

British Muslim Adil Ray wrote the series and also stars as
the pompous Khan, a tight-fisted father who fills the house with bargain toilet
paper bought at the cash-and-carry.

He contends with Mrs Khan, who dreams about a spotlessly
clean house, one daughter who wants the Asian wedding of the century and the
youngest, Alia, who is caked in cosmetics but fools her dad into believing that
she is religious.

Dr Leon Moosavi, a sociologist of race and religion, who
specialises on Muslim communities in Britain, said: “It can be defined as
racist because it reinforced stereotypes that exist about Asians and Muslims to
a non-Asian audience. The constructs are in line with the way racists represent
Muslims.”

The comedy prompted a fierce debate on Twitter. One viewer
asked: “Was Citizen Khan written in 1972? The Pakistani stereotypes are just
painful.” Another wrote: “You guys mocked Islam and weren’t funny.”

Another, Sadude, tweeted: “Caked in makeup, a sleeveless top
& tight clothes? A pathetic portrayal of a hijabi. The hijab defines
modesty. This isn't it.”

But other respondents said the comedy, which pulled in a
strong late evening audience of 3.6 million viewers, reflected their own
experiences growing up as British Asians.

A BBC spokesman said: “New comedy always provokes differing
reactions from the audience and as with all sitcoms, the characters are comic
creations and not meant to be representative of the community as a whole.” The
BBC had received praise from members of the Muslim community, the spokesman
added.

Ray, who wrote Citizen Khan with Richard Pinto and Anil
Gupta, whose previous credits include Goodness Gracious Me and Meet the Kumars,
said the show was intended to have a universal appeal. “This could be an Irish
family, or a Jewish family or an Italian family,” he argued. “It doesn’t matter
what religion you are or what background, we all have the same comedy mishaps.

“I think so many families will relate to the Khans, whether
it’s relating to the Dad who’s not willing to put his hand in his pocket or the
tensions when there are three women in the house.”

Hosting a radio debate about the comedy on the BBC Asian
Network, presenter Nihal said that he had come across characters similar to the
Khans in real life. He claimed that stereotypes were often the source of comedy
and asked: “When you watched ‘Allo ‘Allo!, did you think all French and Germans
were like that?”

Reema, 23, from Newcastle, confirmed the series’ veracity.
She said: “I work part-time in my Uncle’s ‘cash-and-carry’ and we had a toilet
roll offer where you can get 36 in a pack and four packs for £10. You wouldn’t
believe how popular that was.”

The six-part series continues with a familiar comic trope
next week, when Mr Khan has to take his mother-in-law on a shopping trip. A
future episode, in which Khan holds an X Factor-style competition to find a new
call to prayer for the Sparkhill Mosque, could provoke further anger.

Yousuf Bhailok, former Secretary General of the Muslim
Council of Britain, said the show was "the best thing the BBC has done
recently". He said: "It is good to change the stereotyped image of
Muslims always being serious and shouting that has appeared so often in the
media.”